Pretty in Pink
by SilverRider
Summary: Carter's Birhtday is coming up. Jack is up to no good with his plans. SamJack hinted.


**Disclaimer:** Stargate SG-1 does not belong to me. All the characters belong to MGM.

**Thanks to:** Alsakahah, Bugs, and Mary. For all your wonderful support on this fic. I couldn't have completed it with you guys and all my very charming muses.

* * *

_Pretty in Pink_

* * *

_****_

The Idea…… 

Teal'c frowned as they waited for Jonas to join them, but without Major Carter. He did not understand the situation. When O'Neill had called him, he assumed that the whole team would be in the room. When he had not seen Major Carter, Teal'c wondered what was extremely important that Major Carter's presence was not required.

"O'Neill, why has Major Carter not joined us for this briefing?" The big Jaffa tilted his head to get a clear view of the leader of the flagship team of the Stargate Command.

"Ah, see the thing is, T. Carter's birthday is coming up and-"he trailed off when Jonas came in.

"Major Carter's Birthday!" Jonas exclaimed, wondering why she had not mentioned the coming up event.

"Yup" Jack confirmed, his eyes lighting up with an idea.

Knowing O'Neill for as long as he did, Teal'c raised his eyebrow. O'Neill seemed to be up to some mischief that Teal'c was yet to discover.

"Themed? Or just a small…" Jonas rotated his hands in front of him, trying to figure out the word he wanted.

"Party?" Jack's voice bounced in excitement.

Shaking his head, Jonas just replied, "No" Looking at Teal'c he hoped the Jaffa would agree with him.

"What rituals do you wish for us to perform?" Teal'c asked, making Jonas groan and Jack erupt with howls of laughter.

Once Jack got his laughter under control, he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "No ritual, T. Just a small dinner." But his eyes told Teal'c a different story.

There was something in Jack's voice that made Jonas do a double take. "Uh oh" he said barely auditable. He wasn't sure what the Colonel was up to, but he didn't miss the meaning behind the tone.

"Dinner?" Teal'c asked.

"Yea" Jack said, feeling a slight achievement in his plans. "We can take Carter out" he smiled. "Don't you agree?" he asked Jonas.

Not wanting to look like the only one to disapprove, "Yea, sure." Jonas smiled tightly; Carter was going to kill them; slowly and painfully.

"Good, theme is Pink" Jack announced.

"Pink?" Teal'c voiced his surprise.

"Yea, Pink, the girly color." He pulled out a pink plush dog – he had brought for Carter – and placed it on the table. "While I'm at it, I might call Davis and see if he would like to join us." he smirked and left his office.

"Davis?" Jonas frowned, looking at Teal'c.

"Major Davis" Teal'c answered. His lips curled when Jonas winced.

"Major Davis and Pink" Jonas said few minutes later, as he tried to picture the outcome. "Wow." But he felt sorry the Major; the other man would have no idea what he was getting into. Then again, Jonas had hardly seen the guy crack a smile.

"Indeed" Teal'c agreed as they left the office.

* * *

Paul was walking towards his office when heard the phone ring. He doubled his pace, knowing most incoming calls to his office were always important. He opened the door and quickly turned on the light. Absently placing his briefcase on the chair, he picked up the phone. 

"Davis," he greeted the other end, breathlessly.

"Ah, Major I'm glad I caught you," Jack's voice rung in Paul's head.

Baffled, Paul could only feel clueless. "Yes, sir" was the only thing on top of his tongue. This wasn't a SGC emergency call, something entirely different. He was after all a curios man by nature.

That curiosity was just about land him in something different, but he didn't know.

"Major, what you are doing a week from Friday?" he asked.

"Uh, sir?" Paul voice seemed uncertain.

"Major, I asked a question and I do intend to have an answer."

Going through his day planner, Paul found the day page empty as well as the weekend. "Well, I guess I'm free," he replied. "Am I needed for something?" he asked.

"Yes, Major, you are. Dinner reservation for 7 hundred hours."

_Dinner?_ Paul blinked as he loosened his tie. "Uh, Colonel?" Was it his imagination or was he missing something in the whole picture?

"That came out in a wrong way didn't it?" Jack stammered, knowing he was babbling, but didn't care. He was excited to be throwing his little surprise party, for his favorite Major.

Chuckling, "Yes, sir. It did." Paul replied.

"Okay, here's the deal, Carter's birthday is a week from Friday and the theme is pink."

"Pink?" Paul was wondering whether the Colonel was serious or joking.

"Yes, Davis, Pink. As in I'm a female, wearing pink, well um…pink."

Paul could see the colonel waving his hand at the phone. Releasing another chuckle, Paul agreed. "Yes, sir"

"So we count ya in?"

"Yes, sir"

"Great see ya then." Paul heard the line click dead.

Paul stood in his office, stumped, trying to register what just had happened. How in the world did he ended up accepting this invitation for Samantha Carter's Birthday?

What did you get a woman for her birthday? "Heck," he sighed in frustration. Almost scowled when there was a knock on the door. Oh well…back to work. Something will just have to wait.

_**The Shopping……….**_

"A female is a like a flower" Jack began, causing Teal'c to raise an eyebrow. "Well they are," he protested when he saw the face Teal'c pulled.

All three of them had been shopping for over an hour, without any luck in finding a suitable gift for Carter.

"How can you compare a flower to a female?" Jonas looked lost, never had he in his whole life had compared a female with a flower, noe in though it was possible.

"Simple. They require the same treatment. Both are delicate and well…" he trailed off. "Rare." He placed his hand in his pocket.

With that the three men continued to browse through the mall without another word.

* * *

"Cassie, you are not buying that" Janet said firmly to her teenage daughter as they shopped. She did not want her daughter to dress like punk and the shirt Cassie was holding showed that. 

"Why not?" the blond teen demanded, as far as she knew there was nothing wrong with the shirt. Sure it would show off her belly, but it was also a v neck. This was fashion and her mom didn't seem to understand it one bit. She inspected the tee; she didn't see anything wrong with it.

Scowling at her mother's back, she placed the tee in the trolley with a light casual shrug. If her mom had a problem it wasn't her business.

After browsing the store and paying for their purchases along with the tee that was disapproved of. Cassie spotted Jack and the rest of SG-1 minus Carter.

"Hey, Mom," Cassie tugged Janet's sleeve, "Isn't that Uncle Jack?" She took her mother's gaze towards another store where Jack, Teal'c and Jonas were browsing.

"It sure is," Janet said, as both mother and daughter walked towards the un- suspecting men. "Colonel," Janet greeted her second CO.

Startled, Jack dropped the item he was holding in his hand. "Doc," he replied in surprise.

"Shopping, Colonel?" she asked as she picked up the object. She found it amusing that Jack was shopping for teddy bears. The one she just picked up was, in a soft pink and it grinned back at her with mischief brown eyes.

Looking uncomfortable, Jack shifted from one leg to another. "Uh..." he didn't see the point in denying, "Yea"

"Oh" Cassie cooed, "Cute teddy. Who it's for?" She looked at Jack then her mother; both women raised an eyebrow each knowingly. There was someone special running around and Cassie was going to find out who.

"Well," Jack began, wishing that Teal'c would come to his aid, when he needed the Jaffa the most.

Before Jack could say anything, a deep voice answered for him, "This is for a birth celebration."

All three of them looked at Teal'c, each with identical expressions. Cassie groaned. Men, she shuddered, what was it about them that they couldn't even say things straight.

"How about this?" Jonas asked holding up a thriller novel. "Would this work?"

Janet and Cassie shared a worried look. "Colonel, What are you shopping for?"

"Presents" was all he supplied.

"For?" Janet pressed on. Knowing how well he worked.

It was Teal'c who supplied Jack's answer. "Major Carter"

"All this for Sam?" Cassie questioned as she looked at the books Jonas had picked.

"Indeed," the Jaffa bowed.

"Her Birthday," Jack scowled.

Running her fingers through her long locks, Cassie glanced at her mother. Seeming to say, 'Now what?' When Janet titled her head, with her lips firm; Cassie knew what she had to do. She knew Sam, "Okay, everybody out" Cassie ordered.

"Hey" Jack protested.

"Lunch first, then shopping" Cassie said in her no non-sense tone. The choices of book that Jonas had picked weren't Sam's taste and the stuffed animal from Jack was even worse.

"I give the orders" Jack went nose to nose with the young blond.

"Too bad, now it's my turn, _Colonel_" Cassie smirked, and watched Jack storm off cursing. Looking the remaining duo, she waited for their decision.

"So…." Jonas pulled his charm, "What do you suggest we eat?

* * *

"I can't believe this," Jack whined as they sat down with their lunches.

Cassie and Janet had gone to the car to place their purchases, Janet leaving Cassie to shop with them, since Janet had a shift back at SGC. Cassie was somewhere in the mall, Jack though with a silent grunt.

"Can't believe what?" Jonas asked as he dug into his salad. 

"I have been outranked by a teen, Jonas" Jack said giving the other man a dull look.

"Indeed," Teal'c's voice boomed.

"What's wrong with that?" Jonas asked, wondering if he had somehow asked the wrong question, when Jack glared at him.

"It hurts the ego," Jack said as he slowly brought the fork to his mouth, "gives a wrong impression –on men."

"What is ego, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.

"It's individuality of thyself." Jack said as he shoved the food in his mouth.

"Thy?" Jonas looked blankly at Teal'c, who just raised his eyebrow.

"Me, my, I," Jack sang along, with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Right." Jonas moved his head as if he understood what Jack had said.

Without a further word, they spent the rest of the lunch hour in silence. Each lost in their thoughts of a gift for Carter.

_**The Bookstore…..**_

"Now, where to first?" Jack patted Cassie's shoulder.

"Well, since the bookstore is closer, we can look in there for Jonas' present." Cassie pointed out.

"Well..." Jack eyed the bookstore like it was high school. He knew; he never liked high school.

"Now Jack," Cassie patted his hand, "this isn't going to be so bad." She directed Jonas and Teal'c towards the bookstore.

Jack waited for Cassie to come back, when she didn't, "For cryin' out loud," he grumbled and made his way to the bookstore. Upon entering he didn't even see a glimpse of his team. Silently cursing at Cassie, Jack roamed around the store, trying to see if any category caught his interest. Secretly hoping that he would find something for Carter, not that he didn't have present in mind, but it never hurt to have a vast range of choices, did it?

He spotted Jonas in the foreign language section of the store. Teal'c was nowhere to be found, and as for Cassie, that little brat….she just had to drag him to this shop didn't she? Not that he hated it, but he did find it boring at times. The play of words weren't too exciting when he was reading about civilization that was over 3,000 years old.

Sighing, he decided to look for Teal'c, the Jaffa seems to be buried within the store, uh, somewhere.

* * *

Jonas smiled at the vast range of books that were in the store. Even back on his planet there weren't this many books. From what Cassie had said, this wasn't the only store here. There were more across US. With a wide grin, he rubbed his hands, wondering where to start searching. There were a lot of sections he could look at, but which one to pick? 

"A hard choice isn't it?" a voice asked making Jonas twirl on his feet to look at a pretty red head. Her hair was in a bun and held with two chopped sticks.

"Yea," he looked between the shelves and her. "I wouldn't know where to start."

She smiled amusingly. "Well it will depend on whom you are purchasing the book for," she pointed out, leading him to the romance fiction section. "We have romance books, some thrillers," she pointed to the section behind them, "and crime books."

"I believe Thriller and Crime would be out of the list," Jonas told her carefully, in semi-understanding that Major Carter wouldn't like such books.

"Of course," she smiled, then moved along with him to the romance section then selected a few for him to look at. "These are just new novels that are out, while they are not widely popular, they are good, light reading."

"Ah, right," he grinned. "Do you have science section?" he asked, before he lost his way around the store.

She nodded and pointed towards the north east of the store. "Just back that way," she said and left him alone while she assisted another customer.

* * *

Teal'c cocked his head slightly. He was in an aisle of thick volumed books lined up in straight, neat rows. Jack passed by the aisle, glancing momentarily at the rows and rows of huge volumes. Judging by the thickness alone, they seemed like something Sam might like to read, but Jack didn't think he'd take the risk of injuring something by carrying them to the car. 

Besides, he already had thought of a present for her. But it didn't mean that he couldn't browse. Or he could well, swap his ideas, he thought with some mischief.

"O'Neill," Teal'c called out, and walked out of the aisles to catch up with Jack.

"T, having trouble?" Jack asked.

"Indeed. In such a vast array of books, I am unable to find a satisfactory selection of medical books."

"Ah, I see, well then, let's go and find those books for you," Jack told him, not having a clue as to which way to go in this huge bookstore and went of to have some fun with book hunting.

* * *

After roaming the romance section, Jonas went to the science section, in hopes that it would contain books that would interest Major Carter's taste. While he hardly knew the Major's taste he hoped he would pick out few books that caught his interest and check with Cassie for the proper one. He wanted to pick one on romance and one on science, balancing it out. 

Browsing the shelves, he picked up three books that seemed interesting and placed them in the basket he had in his hand then went to look for Cassie. He spotted her in the store's café, with a coffee cup in hand and a piece of cake on the table, talking on the cell phone. When he saw she had spotted him she quickly ended the call with whomever she was talking to. As he walked closer, she had a grin on her face, for those who knew her better would have able to tell that she had something up her sleeve. Since he didn't know her well, he only assumed that she was grinning over the fact he had a selections of book with him.

"Ooooh," Cassie cooed at the stack of books in Jonas basket, the range of them was surprising, but not the genre he had chosen: romance and science.

While the science one was on the dot, she wasn't so sure about romance, plus the range of choices wasn't all that bad. There was one book in the stack that she was dying to get her fingers on, if Jonas decided on it as present for Sam, Cassie could always borrow it after Sam was finished with it.

But then again she could always buy her own copy. "I like this one," Cassie said as she picked up the astrophysics book that seemed like two inches thick. "As for this…," she picked up one romance novel, "will not do." With a slight disgust she placed it back in the basket.

Seeing Jack and Teal'c coming to join them, Jonas waved his hand over his head to let them know, where Cassie and he were sitting, before sitting down himself. "What's wrong with that book?" Jonas asked a frown between his brows, looking a bit baffled.

Before a reply could come out of Cassie, Jack voice came flowing, "I'm telling you, T. This is one of the best books."

"It does not seem so," Teal'c replied, with a stoned face at the book.

"It is," Jack argued, seeming a bit cranky. Noticing they had audience, he slipped back into his usual charming self. "Found anything?" he asked innocently.

"Yea, few books in fact, some I'm sure Major Carter would enjoy." Jonas stated, with a grin. He picked up few of his choices and had them shown to Jack; whose face was full of boredom.

"Any pictures?" he asked innocently, his voice sweet as honey. Next to him Teal'c stood stony as ever, but blinked few times, in confusion.

Cassie rolled her eyes and muttered "Duh!" under her breath, then chose not to participate in the minor banter that was going on between Jonas and Jack instead she sipped her coffee and watched in amusement.

It was a while before Jack seemed happy with Jonas' choices, he placed them with his own set of books, and all while watching the others leave before him. Then he did something he hadn't done in years, not since he was in his twenties, he picked one romance book that he thought Carter might like and placed in his basket, then went off to cashier to pay for the all the purchases.

* * *

TBC 


End file.
